Eagle24

There are reasons both for and against having an EMT badge. Fact is, none the reasons are concrete enough to say whether you really need one or not. My opinion-I got a badge through my organization, along with a photo ID with my name and position in the organization. I tend to keep those two things, along with my EMT cert. card on me, sometimes when off-duty. I won't say I NEVER leave the house without it, but the way I see it-it can't hurt to have it on you if you happen to witness a serious MVA or something. I'm not going to just pullover and toss it over my neck and start ordering people to do stuff---but if a family happened to be in that car, and you started to try and help one of the kids, the parent might flip out and say what are you doing to my child...a EMT card may look nice, but the histerical mother isn't going to care that your name is on some nice laminated card, a badge is more known by the public-in that case it might help establish trust. 99% of the time-you don't need it off duty...at all...but I think any experienced EMT reading this post knows that unexpected things DEFINATELY happen in EMS. I just look at the badge as another tool in my EMT kit. I'm sure there are close-minded people in here who will never change their minds about EMT's not needing badges-this is just my view, I could be wrong. But why arrest someone over having one?

Sometimes just having your rig being seen is an advertisement in itself...sometimes the sunday crew will take the rig to get lunch at the local diner-just getting out in public, it catches attention and people tend to approach us about a variety of things (membership, donations, etc.)-that with the posters around town--it can't hurt, what does is cost you-a couple of gas dollars?

I think it "generally" helps EMT's...traditionally you shouldn't really need it...however, if I was a diabetic and passed out outside of a bar @2am. . .maybe even AOB...you get the night crew that comes out and assumes you're "just another drunk". . .medic is maybe 5-10 mins because he was also woken up...wouldn't it be convenient if they just ran the test out of curiosity and found out, wow his sugar is really low. This happens maybe 1/1000 drunks, but if i was that one diabetic it makes a difference. It all has to do with what you see on the scene--I personally like to double check myself anyways (yes I have a pulse/ox, and I use it usually to confirm when I already DON'T think I need to use O2). . .someone made a point about new emt's not being able to even take vitals---once again, if i was in diabetic shock-i wouldn't want to count my life on an EMT who maybe has never even dealt with diabetics before......thermometers---technically "evasive procedure"-use your hand-but when you get to the hospital what sounds better-"his skin is really warm" or "he's got a temp of 103.1". . .the more info we can get the better we can treat them---"If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, treat it like a duck".---and for all you medics---giving us this tool will allow even the new EMT's to cancel you earlier when they find out that the pt. is not having diabetic issues

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with a low BP-trendelenburg...assuming med control is aware of the situation as says "treat them as a patient" and ALS unavailable-yeah I'd use a BVM---this might be considered the beginning of "heroic measures", but if it was my call it is DEFINATELY better to overtreat than undertreat given the circumstances...Is is required in new york for EMT-B's to honor the living will? I think DNR orders are the only orders EMT-B's have to follow. I think as long as he is not in cardiac/respiratory distress, as an EMT-B if I made the call, I would treat/trans to be safe...

SHAC is totally independant of the SHFD...most of the members are firefighters(and EMT- of various companies, but certainly no one company "runs the ambulance"...SHAC's recruitment of new EMT's and high retainment numbers are really what is making this arrangement work...obviously the more bodies you have helping out in general, the easier it is to divide of the town's volunteer's needs as a whole. SHAC7311 will prob know more details about this arrangment though...it doesn't seem right to have 5 companies, if only 4 of the rigs are getting out to the calls...maybe make one of the companies strictly EMS, and have the membership open to all companies/volunteers in the town? Keep in mind, what works in one town will not always work in others. . .

I think the "right" high school kids are great for VACS...the ones that sign up are usually more dedicated to it than most of the older members(probably because they are not "burned-out" yet)...I think it's a good eye opener for a high school kid to see what a difference he/she can make in people's lives. . .give a bunch of kids in new jersey their own ambulance, I wouldn't be surprised if they are one of the leading responders in their area...the only problem though is that they lack experience, but there is only one real way to fix that-get them on the road seeing pt's

I take it most of you guys/girls are paramedics...as an EMT-B seems like a load-and-go situation...Obviously an EMT would give O2 and treat for shock...but i mean sitting up the patient, making sure the airway is clear and putting a NRB on isn't "heroic measures"...Personally, I would call ALS, medical control and if they want to decide to give NO TREATMENT based on the situation-that's another story...but right now she does not have to be resuscitated, she has to be treated because we were called to that location by SOME family member...EMT-B's can't put a tube in, or start IV's with meds...so from my perspective it's not really my call...I'm transporting... Obviously if a family member was confused enough to call 911 because they weren't sure what to do-then that means that they're NOT SURE what to do...they could say one thing, and change their mind the next day and say we didn't do our jobs right. . .I'm sure we've all been told this, but if you have any doubt about whether to treat a pt. or not, do it, it's easier to defend your actions. BTW-i think this is my first post so i'm very open to feedback-let me know what u guys/girls think...I'm not perfect-I could be looking at this the wrong way